Psalms 73
73
Book Three (Psalms 73–89)
A psalm of Asaph.
1Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5They don’t have troubles like other people;
they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11“What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
15If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
21Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
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Psalms 73: NLT
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Psalm 73
73
Book Three
God Is My Strength and Portion Forever
A Psalm of #See Ps. 50, titleAsaph.
1Truly God is good to #John 1:47 Israel,
to those who are #See Ps. 24:4pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 # See Job 21:7 For I was #Ps. 37:1; Prov. 23:17 envious of the arrogant
when I saw the #[Ps. 37:7; 92:7; Jer. 12:1]prosperity of the wicked.
4For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not #[Isa. 53:4]stricken like the rest of mankind.
6Therefore pride is #[Judg. 8:26] their necklace;
violence covers them as #[Ps. 109:18]a garment.
7Their #See Job 15:27eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8They scoff and #[2 Pet. 2:18; Jude 16]speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find #[Job 15:16]no fault in them.#73:10 Probable reading; Hebrew the waters of a full cup are drained by them
11And they say, #See Job 22:13“How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they #[ver. 3]increase in riches.
13All in vain have I #[ver. 1]; See Job 34:9 kept my heart clean
and #See Ps. 26:6washed my hands in innocence.
14For all the day long I have been #[See ver. 5 above] stricken
and #Rev. 3:19 rebuked #[Ps. 101:8]every morning.
15If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed #[Ps. 14:5]the generation of your children.
16But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me #Eccles. 8:17a wearisome task,
17until I went into #Ps. 20:2 the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their #Ps. 37:38end.
18Truly you set them in #Ps. 35:6slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19How they are destroyed #[Num. 16:21] in a moment,
swept away utterly by #See Job 18:11terrors!
20Like #See Job 20:8 a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when #Ps. 78:65you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22I was #See Ps. 49:10 brutish and ignorant;
I was like #Job 18:3; [Job 11:12]a beast toward you.
23Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you #Ps. 63:8; [Ps. 41:12]hold my right hand.
24You #Ps. 32:8 guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will #See Ps. 49:15receive me to glory.
25 #
Ps. 16:2; [Phil. 3:8] Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 #
Ps. 40:12; See Ps. 84:2 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is #Ps. 18:2 the strength#73:26 Hebrew rock of my heart and my #See Ps. 16:5 portion #[Dan. 12:3]forever.
27For behold, those who are #Ps. 119:155 far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is #Ps. 106:39; Ex. 34:15; Num. 15:39; James 4:4unfaithful to you.
28But for me it is good to #James 4:8; [Heb. 10:22] be near God;
I have made the Lord God my #See Ps. 14:6 refuge,
that I may #See Ps. 118:17tell of all your works.
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